JP2012015356A - Substrate treatment device and control method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate treatment device and a control method of the same which prevent communication failure from occurring because a huge amount of messages are sent from the substrate treatment device to cause control abnormality when communication performance of a network between the substrate treatment device and a host computer lowers.SOLUTION: The substrate treatment device comprises a main control section including a device control section for generating data necessary for treating a substrate and data for monitoring operation states of a device, a communication section having a buffer for temporarily storing the data and a communication control section for transmitting the data generated at the device control section to a host computer via the communication section. The communication control section executes a transmission flow control program including a step of checking a communication state and a step of checking priority, checks idle capacity of the buffer and the number of transactions in the course of communication, and transmits a primary message when checking results are OK.

Description

  The present invention is a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a substrate processing apparatus for manufacturing a thin film on a substrate such as a wafer or a glass substrate, diffusion of impurities, annealing treatment, etching processing, etc., or manufacturing a LCD and its It relates to a control method.

  A substrate processing system for processing a substrate to manufacture a semiconductor device includes a first management device (HOST computer) and a plurality of substrate processing devices connected to the HOST computer, and the substrate processing device is the HOST It is centrally managed by a computer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, the substrate processing apparatus may be connected to the monitoring system server (M / S) via a LAN to form a substrate processing system (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  At this time, the server performs real-time monitoring of operation status, data collection, data backup, and the like by connecting to at least one substrate processing apparatus. Then, desired data is provided by searching for a predetermined client (user terminal).

  As described above, since the substrate processing apparatus is connected to the HOST computer or the server via a LAN, if the communication traffic amount in the network increases or the performance of the network equipment temporarily decreases, the communication from the substrate processing apparatus also occurs. The number of communication messages that can be sent is reduced.

Conventionally, even if the network communication performance has deteriorated, the substrate processing apparatus has been trying to send a large amount of data messages for monitoring. However, there is a problem that not only monitoring data but also an important message for controlling the substrate processing apparatus is lost.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-053603 JP 2008-283169 A

  In view of such a situation, the present invention transmits a large number of messages from the substrate processing apparatus when the network communication performance between the substrate processing apparatus and the host computer is deteriorated, and communication control becomes abnormal, and the apparatus operation stop or processing is performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus having a transmission flow control function and a method thereof for preventing occurrence of a failure of interruption.

The present invention relates to an apparatus control unit that generates data necessary for processing a substrate and data for monitoring an operation status of the apparatus, a communication unit having a buffer for temporarily storing the data, and the apparatus control. A substrate processing apparatus including a main control unit including at least a communication control unit that transmits data generated by the unit to the host computer via the communication unit, wherein the communication control unit checks a communication state A transmission flow control program including a process and a process of checking priority is executed, the free capacity of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication are checked, and if OK, a primary message is transmitted. If at least one is NG as a result of checking the available capacity and the number of transactions in communication, a step of checking the priority And in the step of checking the priority, the priority of the transmission destination to which the primary message is transmitted and the importance of the primary message are checked, and the priority of the transmission destination or the importance of the primary message is increased. For example, the present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that transmits the primary message and discards the primary message if the priority of the transmission destination and the importance of the primary message are low.

In addition, the present invention executes a transmission flow control program including a step of checking a communication state between a substrate processing apparatus and a host computer and a step of checking a priority related to a primary message, and a buffer free capacity and the number of transactions in communication If the result of checking the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication is at least one is NG, the priority of the destination to which the primary message is transmitted If the priority of the destination or the importance of the primary message is high, the primary message is transmitted, and the priority of the destination and the importance of the primary message are low. For example, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a substrate processing apparatus that discards the primary message.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to preferentially transmit an important message even when the network communication performance is deteriorated, so that it is possible to minimize the influence of a transmission message loss. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention does not fall out of communication control, so that the substrate is not lost (lotted out) due to processing interruption. Furthermore, since the substrate processing can be continued even if the communication performance is lowered, the apparatus operating rate can be improved.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic side view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the communication message in the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the transmission flow control in the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention relates to a step of checking a communication state between a substrate processing apparatus and a host computer or a higher-level computer such as a server, and a primary message used for communication between the substrate processing apparatus and the higher-level computer. A transmission flow control program including a step of checking priority is executed, and the free space of the buffer of the communication driver for communicating with the host computer and the number of transactions in communication are checked. As a result of sending a message and checking the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, if at least one is NG, check the priority of the destination to which the primary message is sent and the importance of the primary message, The priority of the destination or the importance of the primary message is high. If, transmits the primary message, the lower the importance of the destination priority and the primary message, it is to destroy the primary message. First, the transmission flow control program determines whether the message to be transmitted is a primary message or a secondary message, and if it is determined that the message is not a primary message but a secondary message (response message for receiving a primary message), control is performed. Perform reply processing without targeting. In the present invention, not to be controlled means that the communication status check step and the priority check step are not performed.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, a substrate processing apparatus in which the present invention is implemented will be described.

  The substrate processing apparatus performs a substrate processing process that is one of the manufacturing processes of the semiconductor device.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 2. A front maintenance port 4 serving as an opening provided for maintenance is opened at the front front portion of the front wall 3 of the housing 2, and the front maintenance port 4 is opened and closed by a front maintenance door 5.

  A pod loading / unloading port 6 is opened on the front wall 3 of the housing 2 so as to communicate with the inside and outside of the housing 2, and the pod loading / unloading port 6 is a front shutter (loading / unloading opening / closing mechanism) 7. A load port (substrate transfer container delivery table) 8 is installed in front of the front side of the pod loading / unloading port 6, and the load port 8 is configured to align the placed pod 9. Has been.

  The pod 9 is a hermetically sealed substrate transfer container, and is loaded into the load port 8 by an in-process transfer apparatus (not shown) and unloaded from the load port 8.

  A rotary pod shelf (substrate transfer container storage shelf) 11 is installed at an upper portion of the housing 2 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction. The rotary pod shelf 11 includes a plurality of pods 9. It is configured to store.

  The rotary pod shelf 11 is a vertically-supported support column 12 that is intermittently rotated, and a plurality of shelf plates (substrate transfer container placement) that are radially supported by the support column 12 at the upper, middle, and lower positions. The shelf 13 is configured to store the pods 9 in a state where a plurality of pods 9 are placed.

  A pod opener (substrate transfer container lid opening / closing mechanism) 14 is provided below the rotary pod shelf 11. The pod opener 14 can mount the pod 9 and can open and close the lid of the pod 9. It has a configuration.

  A pod transfer device (container transfer device) 15 is installed between the load port 8 and the rotary pod shelf 11 and the pod opener 14, and the pod transfer device 15 holds the pod 9. The pod 9 can be moved between the load port 8, the rotary pod shelf 11, and the pod opener 14.

  A sub-housing 16 is provided over the rear end of the lower portion of the housing 2 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction. A pair of wafer loading / unloading ports (substrate loading / unloading ports) 19 for loading / unloading wafers (substrates) 18 into / from the sub-casing 16 are arranged on the front wall 17 of the sub-casing 16 vertically and vertically. The pod openers 14 are provided to the upper and lower wafer loading / unloading ports 19, 19, respectively.

  The pod opener 14 includes a mounting table 21 on which the pod 9 is mounted and an opening / closing mechanism 22 that opens and closes the lid of the pod 9. The pod opener 14 is configured to open and close the wafer entrance of the pod 9 by opening and closing the lid of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 21 by the opening and closing mechanism 22.

  The sub casing 16 constitutes a transfer chamber 23 that is airtight from a space (pod transport space) in which the pod transport device 15 and the rotary pod shelf 11 are disposed. A wafer transfer mechanism (substrate transfer mechanism) 24 is installed in the front region of the transfer chamber 23, and the wafer transfer mechanism 24 has a required number of wafers (five in the drawing) on which wafers are to be mounted. A mounting plate 25 is provided, and the wafer mounting plate 25 can be moved in the horizontal direction, can be rotated in the horizontal direction, and can be moved up and down. The wafer transfer mechanism 24 is configured to load and unload wafers 18 with respect to a boat (substrate holder) 26.

  In the rear region of the transfer chamber 23, a standby unit 27 that accommodates and waits for the boat 26 is configured, and a vertical processing furnace 28 is provided above the standby unit 27.

  The processing furnace 28 has a processing chamber in which the boat 26 is accommodated. The lower end of the processing chamber is a furnace port, and the furnace port is opened and closed by a furnace port shutter (furnace port opening / closing mechanism) 29. It is supposed to be done.

  A boat elevator (substrate holder lifting mechanism) 31 for raising and lowering the boat 26 is installed between the right end of the housing 2 and the right end of the standby portion 27 of the sub-housing 16. Yes. A seal cap 33 as a lid is horizontally attached to the arm 32 connected to the elevator platform of the boat elevator 31, and the seal cap 33 supports the boat 26 vertically, and the furnace of the processing furnace 28. The mouth can be closed airtight.

  The boat 26 includes a plurality of pillars, and the pillars are configured to hold a plurality of (for example, about 50 to 125) wafers 18 in multiple stages in a horizontal posture with their centers aligned. Yes.

  Incidentally, dummy wafers (not shown) are stored in the substrate processing apparatus 1, and a necessary number of dummy wafers are loaded on the upper and lower portions of the boat 26 as necessary, and depending on the contents of processing. Monitor wafers are loaded into the boat 26 at a required interval.

  A clean unit 35 is disposed at a position facing the boat elevator 31 side, and the clean unit 35 is configured by a supply fan and a dustproof filter so as to supply a clean atmosphere or clean air 34 which is an inert gas. ing. Between the wafer transfer mechanism 24 and the clean unit 35, a notch alignment device (not shown) is installed as a substrate alignment device for aligning the circumferential position of the wafer.

  The clean air 34 blown out from the clean unit 35 is circulated through a notch aligning device (not shown), the wafer transfer mechanism 24, and the boat 26, and is then sucked in by a duct (not shown), and the casing 2 The exhaust air is exhausted to the outside or circulated to the primary side (supply side) which is the suction side of the clean unit 35, and is again blown out into the transfer chamber 23 by the clean unit 35. Has been.

  Next, the operation of the processing apparatus of the present invention will be described.

  When the pod 9 is supplied to the load port 8, the pod loading / unloading port 6 is opened by the front shutter 7. The pod 9 on the load port 8 is carried into the housing 2 by the pod carrying device 15 through the pod loading / unloading port 6 and mounted on the designated shelf 13 of the rotary pod shelf 11. Placed. The pod 9 is temporarily stored in the rotary pod shelf 11, and is then transferred from the shelf plate 13 to one of the pod openers 14 by the pod transfer device 15 and transferred to the mounting table 21. Alternatively, it is transferred directly from the load port 8 to the mounting table 21.

  At this time, the wafer loading / unloading port 19 is closed by the opening / closing mechanism 22, and the clean air 34 is circulated and filled in the transfer chamber 23. For example, the transfer chamber 23 is filled with nitrogen gas as clean air 34, so that the oxygen concentration is set to 20 ppm or less, which is much lower than the oxygen concentration inside the housing 2 (atmosphere). .

  The opening side end surface of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 21 is pressed against the opening edge of the wafer loading / unloading port 19 in the front wall 17 of the sub casing 16 and the lid is opened and closed. It is removed by the mechanism 22 and the wafer entrance is opened.

  When the pod 9 is opened by the pod opener 14, the wafer 18 is taken out from the pod 9 by the wafer transfer mechanism 24 and transferred to a notch aligning device (not shown). After aligning 18, the wafer transfer mechanism 24 loads the wafer 18 into the standby section 27 located behind the transfer chamber 23 and charges (charges) the boat 26.

  The wafer transfer mechanism 24 that has transferred the wafer 18 to the boat 26 returns to the pod 9 and loads the next wafer 18 into the boat 26.

  During the loading operation of the wafer 18 into the boat 26 by the wafer transfer mechanism 24 in one (upper or lower) pod opener 14, the other (lower or upper) pod opener 14 has the rotary pod shelf. 11 and another pod 9 is transferred and transferred by the pod transfer device 15, and the opening operation of the pod 9 by the other pod opener 14 is simultaneously performed.

  When a predetermined number of wafers 18 are loaded into the boat 26, the furnace port portion of the processing furnace 28 that has been closed by the furnace port shutter 29 is opened by the furnace port shutter 29. Subsequently, the boat 26 is lifted by the boat elevator 31 and loaded (loaded) into the processing furnace 28 (processing chamber).

  After loading, the furnace port is hermetically closed by the seal cap 33, and the boat 26 is hermetically stored in the processing chamber while holding the wafers 18. While the wafer 18 is heated and a processing gas is introduced into the processing chamber, the wafer 18 is evacuated so as to be maintained at a predetermined pressure, and a required processing is performed on the wafer 18 in the processing furnace 28.

  After the processing, the wafer 18 and the pod 9 are discharged to the outside of the casing 2 in the reverse procedure to the above except for the alignment process of the wafer 18 with a notch aligner (not shown).

  FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system including the substrate processing apparatus.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 41 denotes a HOST computer which is a management apparatus, 42 denotes a server, the HOST computer 41 and the server 42 are connected to a communication network, for example, a LAN, and a relay distributor, for example, A plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 1a, 1b,..., 1n are connected via the HUB 43.

  The HOST computer 41 controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatuses 1a, 1b,. In online operation, a series of processes such as loading and unloading of the pod 9, batch information designation, process condition designation, process start designation, and process data collection are executed and managed by the HOST computer 41.

  The server 42 also performs real-time monitoring of operation status, data collection, and data backup for a plurality of devices.

  The substrate processing apparatus 1 also monitors a communication driver 51 as a communication unit for communicating with an external host computer such as the HOST computer 41 and the server 42, data for controlling apparatus operation, and apparatus state. The main control unit includes at least a device control unit 53 that generates data and a communication control unit 52 with the external host computer. When a process start is designated from the HOST computer 41, the apparatus control unit 51 executes a recipe for processing the substrate, and the substrate processing is performed. Specifically, the apparatus control unit 53 is implemented by controlling each component of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the recipe. On the other hand, the communication control unit 52 can execute a transmission flow control program to be described later during execution of the recipe. Thereby, for example, data generated by each component during recipe execution can be collected from the apparatus control unit 53 and transmitted to an external host computer in real time.

  The communication unit 51 includes a communication buffer, and a message transmitted to the host computer can be temporarily stored in the communication buffer. Various data generated by the substrate processing apparatus 1 from this communication buffer are transmitted as messages.

  The communication control unit 52 includes a transmission thread and a reception thread, and communicates with the host computer via the communication unit 51. Further, the communication control unit 52 creates a message to be transmitted to the host computer from various data generated by the substrate processing apparatus 1, and analyzes the message received from the host computer. The communication control unit 52 executes a transmission flow control program to be described later.

  The device control unit 53 executes at least one of various files stored in a storage unit (not shown). For example, a recipe for processing a substrate is executed. Then, data necessary for processing the substrate by the substrate processing apparatus 1 is generated when the recipe is executed. Further, the apparatus control unit 53 transmits data necessary for substrate processing such as setting values for processing the substrate, and controls each component constituting the substrate processing apparatus 1. At this time, various data such as monitor data and event data are collected from each component. Here, the device control unit 52 generates data for monitoring by the host computer based on the collected data.

  Next, communication messages transmitted and received by the substrate processing system in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 shows the contents of the communication message. The communication message shown in FIG. 4 is stored as a table in the storage unit of the substrate processing apparatus. The items include transmission destination item information, transmission destination priority information, main roles, message contents, message traffic (data amount) information, and message content importance information. The message content includes a material transfer instruction, a process content specification, a process start instruction, an event report, an alarm report, a performance data report, a trace data report, a monitor data report, an event data report, a data upload instruction, and a data download instruction. Here, the performance data is data related to the recipe processing execution contents and the execution results, and the trace data is data for reporting the temperature, the gas flow rate value, and the like at regular time intervals. The trace data and the monitor data have the same data contents, but the trace data is data used in data analysis such as when looking at the tendency of specific data.

  According to FIG. 4, when a transmission message to the HOST computer 41 is lost, it directly affects the operation stoppage and processing interruption of the apparatus. Therefore, communication with the HOST computer 41 is important, and the priority is “high”. It has become. As described above, it is desirable that the message for the HOST computer 41 is transmitted with priority so that the message is not lost. On the other hand, since the content of the message sent to the server 42 is an item that does not have to be under execution of the recipe, the priority is “low”.

  Next, a configuration for transmitting a communication message in the substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  Data necessary for controlling the substrate processing apparatus and data for monitoring the apparatus status are generated by the apparatus control unit and transmitted as communication messages from the transmission thread of the communication control unit to the external host computer by the communication driver. The Information of the communication message is held in the communication buffer until the transaction with the transmission destination (external host computer) is completed (message transmission to response message reception). If the messages held in the communication buffer continue to increase and stay, it is determined that network communication delay or retransmission processing has occurred. If the communication state is deteriorated and an attempt is made to transmit more messages, an overflow occurs in the communication buffer and the communication becomes impossible.

  Here, according to this embodiment, in preparation for the deterioration of the communication performance of the network as described above, communication message transmission flow control is performed so that at least communication with the HOST computer 41, which is a host computer, can be performed. Improved.

The transmission flow control program in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The transmission flow control program of FIG. 6 is started each time a transmission request is generated one by one at the timing when a message to be transmitted to the HOST computer 41 or the server is generated (Step 1). First, when the transmission flow control program in the present embodiment is started, it is determined whether the communication message to be transmitted is primary or secondary (Step 2). If it is determined that the message is a secondary message (response message for receiving the primary message), a reply process is performed without being a target of transmission flow control (Step 6). If it is a primary message, a communication state check process is implemented before a transmission process as a control object. In the communication status check process, if the free capacity of the communication buffer is confirmed and if it is equal to or lower than the lower limit value, it is determined that the communication performance is degraded (Step 3). If it is determined that the communication performance has deteriorated, a priority check process for transmitting or discarding a message is performed. If the number of transactions in communication exceeds the upper limit value, it is determined that a communication load has occurred (Step 4). Even when it is determined that a communication load has occurred, the above-described priority check process is performed. Note that the lower limit value of the communication buffer amount and the upper limit value of the number of transactions in communication are arbitrarily designated by parameter setting. Next, in the priority check process, first, the transmission destination priority is determined (Step 7). If it is determined that the priority is high, transmission processing is performed (Step 5). Next, the importance of the message content is determined (Step 8). If it is determined that the importance level is high, transmission processing is performed (Step 5). Since only important messages are transmitted, the level where the importance level of the message is medium or low is discarded (Step 9). In this way, transmission flow control is executed so that only messages with high priority and / or importance are transmitted, so that messages staying in the communication buffer do not continue to increase.

Here, the communication state check process is a process performed in (Step 3) and (Step 4), and the priority check process is a process performed in (Step 7) and (Step 8). Note that the message traffic is not used for judgment because it does not relate to the priority level, but it is discarded because priority is given to messages with a medium traffic level and a medium importance level or a small importance level. The amount can be kept small.

Also, when a message is discarded due to transmission flow control, an alarm is displayed on the screen to warn that the communication status is not good, and the buffer free space and the number of transactions are displayed on the screen to visualize the communication buffer status. The network communication state is notified to the worker, attention is given to the work in the substrate processing apparatus, and it is possible at least to avoid the worst situation of lot out due to communication abnormality.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, important communication messages can be reliably communicated regardless of the communication state between the substrate processing apparatus and the host computer including the HOST computer 41 and the server 42. It is possible to suppress the processing interruption and stoppage of the apparatus caused by this.

  When a recipe composed of a plurality of steps is executed and a substrate is subjected to predetermined processing, data generated during the execution of the recipe is transferred from the substrate processing apparatus to a host computer by performing transmission flow control in the present invention. Can be transmitted in consideration of the communication load of the main control unit. Therefore, since a failure related to a communication abnormality between the substrate processing apparatus and the host computer does not occur, the interruption or stoppage of the recipe due to the communication load can be suppressed.

In the description of this embodiment, a vertical substrate processing apparatus that includes a vertical furnace as an example of the substrate processing apparatus and performs oxidation processing, CVD film formation processing, diffusion processing, annealing processing, and the like on the substrate has been described. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this configuration and can be applied to various substrate processing apparatuses.

(Appendix)
The present invention includes the following embodiments.
(Additional remark 1) It has the apparatus control part which produces | generates the data for monitoring the data required for processing a board | substrate, and the operating condition of an apparatus, and the buffer which stores temporarily the data transmitted to an external high-order computer A substrate processing apparatus comprising a main control unit (main controller) including a communication unit and a communication control unit that transmits data generated by the device control unit to the host computer via the communication unit, The communication control unit executes a transmission flow control program (transmission flow control function) including a step of checking the communication state and a step of checking the priority, and checks the free capacity of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication. If both are OK, a primary message is sent to the host computer, and the buffer free space and the number of transactions in communication are determined. As a result of checking, if at least one is NG, the priority of the transmission destination for transmitting the primary message and the importance of the primary message are checked, and if the priority of the transmission destination or the importance of the primary message is high. A substrate processing apparatus that transmits the primary message and discards the primary message if the priority of the transmission destination and the importance of the primary message are low.

  (Supplementary note 2) A transmission flow control program (transmission flow control function) including a step of checking a communication state between a substrate processing apparatus and a host computer and a step of checking a priority related to a primary message is executed, and a buffer free capacity and communication are executed. If both are OK, the primary message is transmitted to the host computer and the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication are checked. The priority of the transmission destination for transmitting the primary message and the importance of the primary message are checked. If the priority of the transmission destination or the importance of the primary message is high, the primary message is transmitted, and the priority of the transmission destination If the primary message is less important, discard the primary message The method of the plate processor.

(Additional remark 3) It has the apparatus control part which produces | generates the data required for processing the data required for processing a board | substrate, and the operating condition of an apparatus, and the buffer which stores temporarily the data transmitted to an external high-order computer A substrate processing apparatus provided with a main control unit (main controller) including a communication unit and a communication control unit that transmits data generated by the device control unit to the host computer via the communication unit, and the substrate processing A substrate processing system including a host computer for controlling the apparatus,
The communication control unit executes a transmission program (transmission flow control function) including a step of checking a communication state and a step of checking priority.
Check the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, and if both are OK, send a primary message to the host computer,
As a result of checking the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, if at least one is NG, the priority of the destination to which the primary message is transmitted and the importance of the primary message are checked, and the destination A substrate processing system that transmits the primary message if the priority or the importance of the primary message is high, and discards the primary message if the priority of the destination and the importance of the primary message are low.

(Additional remark 4) The apparatus control part which produces | generates the data for monitoring the operating condition of the data required in order to process a board | substrate by executing a recipe, and the communication part which has the buffer which stores the said data temporarily A main control unit (main controller) including at least a communication control unit that transmits the data as a message via the substrate, the main control unit executes the recipe and performs a predetermined process on the substrate A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in an apparatus,
During the recipe execution, the apparatus control unit generates data relating to substrate processing,
The communication control unit executes a transmission program (transmission flow control function) including a step of checking a communication state and a step of checking priority.
Check the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, and if OK, send data on substrate processing as a primary message,
As a result of checking the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, if at least one is NG, the priority of the destination to which the primary message is transmitted and the importance of the primary message are checked, and the destination If the priority or importance of the primary message is high, the primary message is transmitted. If the priority of the destination and the importance of the primary message are low, the recipe is continued by discarding the primary message. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in a substrate processing apparatus.

1 Substrate processing equipment 18 Wafer (substrate)
41 HOST computer 42 server 51
Communication unit 52 Communication control unit 53 Device control unit

Claims (4)

An apparatus control unit that generates data necessary for processing the substrate and data for monitoring the operating status of the apparatus, a communication unit having a buffer that temporarily stores data to be transmitted to an external host computer, and A substrate processing apparatus comprising a main control unit including a communication control unit that transmits data generated by the device control unit to the host computer via the communication unit;
The communication control unit executes a transmission flow control program including a step of checking a communication state and a step of checking priority.
In the step of checking the communication state, a substrate processing apparatus that checks the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, and if OK, transmits a primary message to the host computer. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the result of checking the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication is NG, the step of checking the priority of the primary message is executed. In the step of checking the priority, the priority of the transmission destination for transmitting the primary message and the importance of the primary message are checked. If the priority of the transmission destination or the importance of the primary message is high, the primary message is checked. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a message is transmitted and the primary message is discarded if the priority of the transmission destination and the importance of the primary message are low. Executing a transmission flow control program including a step of checking a communication state between a substrate processing apparatus and a host computer and a step of checking a priority related to a primary message;
Check the available buffer capacity and the number of transactions in communication. If OK, send the primary message to the host computer.
As a result of checking the free space of the buffer and the number of transactions in communication, if at least one is NG, the priority of the transmission destination for transmitting the primary message and the importance of the primary message are checked, and the priority of the transmission destination is checked. If the degree of importance of the primary message is high, the primary message is transmitted. If the priority of the destination and the importance of the primary message are low, the control method of the substrate processing apparatus discards the primary message.